New group would gather data on students bullied, hazed based on race, gender to better inform possible new curriculum.

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Updated: 7:00 PM EST Jan 11, 2019

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WEBVTT INCLUSION. SOT: REP. KEVIN 'COACH' CHRISTE , D - HARTFORD, "THERE IS SYSTEMIC RACISM IN VERMONT." A NEW BILL WOULD PRIORITIZE DIVERSITY IN THE STATE'S SCHOOL'S LESSON PLANS. REPRESENTATIV E KEVIN CHRISTE, WHO GOES BY "COACH," SAYS LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE OF COLOR, WOMEN AND OTHERS NOT ALWAYS REPRESENTED IN TODAY'S HISTORY BOOKS COULD FOSTER MORE EMPATHY AND COMPASSION IN THE CLASSROOM. SOT: REP. KEVIN 'COACH' CHRISTE , D - HARTFORD, "AS WE TALK ABOUT, HOW DO WE BECOME MORE INCLUSIVE AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER, WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM." THE BILL WAS STARTED LAST YEAR, BUT DIDN'T GET MUCH ATTENTION. NOW THE NEW CHAIR OF THE HOUSE'S EDUCATION COMMITTEE, KATE WEBB, SAYS ITS TIME HAS COME. 31;52 - 32;01 SOT: KATE WEBB, D- SHELBURNE, "IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE CULTURAL CHANGE, WHICH IS WHAT THIS BILL IS ASKING US TO DO, FOR US TO MAKE THOSE CULTURAL CHANGES, IT REALLY IS BEST TO START IN OUR SCHOOLS." GFX THE BILL, IF PASSED, WOULD CREATE A GROUP WHICH WOULD COLLECT DATA ON ANY VERMONT STUDENTS BEING HARASSED, BULLIED OR HAZED BECAUSE OF SOMETHING LIKE THEIR RACE, GENDER, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THE STATE'S BOARD OF EDUCATION COULD THEN USE THE DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND STUDENT'S EXPERIENCES, AND THIS COULD INFLUENCE FUTURE SCHOOL COURSEWORK TO INCLUDE LEARNING ABOUT MARGINALIZED GROUPS... THAT'S WHAT COACH IS HOPING FOR. SOT: KEVIN 'COACH' CHRISTE , D - HARTFORD, "WE ALL HAVE BIASES...THEY COULD BE GENDER-BASED, THEY COULD BE RACIAL BASED, YOU KNOW THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT BIASES. BUT WE WANT VERMONT TO BE AN INCLUSIVE STATE." THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WILL START REVIEWING THIS BILL NEXT WEEK. LIVE IN BURLINGTON, RENEE WUNDERLICH, NBC5 NEWS. NEWSCHANNEL 5 AT 6 TRANS COMING UP-

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Bill calls for social, ethnic studies in schools

New group would gather data on students bullied, hazed based on race, gender to better inform possible new curriculum.

Calling for inclusion, a new bill would prioritize diversity in the state's school lesson plans.Rep. Kevin Christie (D–Hartford), who goes by "Coach," said learning about people of color, women and others not always represented in today's history books could foster more empathy and compassion in the classroom."(So) as we talk about, 'How do we become more inclusive and understand each other better,' we know where we're coming from," he said. "There is systemic racism in Vermont."The bill was started last year but didn't get much attention. It was written in part by former Rep. Kiah Morris, who resigned from her seat last year fearing for her family's safety after a series of racist threats made against her.Now, the new chair of the House's Education Committee, Kate Webb (D–Shelburne), said its time has come."If we're gonna make cultural change, which is what this bill is asking us to do, for us to make those cultural changes, it really is best to start in our schools," Webb said.The bill, if passed as written now, would create a group that would collect data on any Vermont students being harassed, bullied or hazed because of something like their race, gender or sexual orientation."I think it is very important for Vermont to be doing the work of making our schools more equitable. It will also be important to get the details of any new legislation right so that school systems can follow through and achieve that goal," Montpelier High School Principal Mike McRaith wrote in a statement to NBC5.The bill notes that the state's Board of Education could use data gathered by the working group to better understand students' experiences, and this could influence future school coursework to include learning about marginalized groups.At least, that's what Coach is hoping for."We all have biases ... They could be gender-based, they could be racial-based, you know, there's all these different biases. But we want Vermont to be an inclusive state," Christie said.READ THE BILL HERE.

MONTPELIER, Vt. —

Calling for inclusion, a new bill would prioritize diversity in the state's school lesson plans.

Rep. Kevin Christie (D–Hartford), who goes by "Coach," said learning about people of color, women and others not always represented in today's history books could foster more empathy and compassion in the classroom.

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"(So) as we talk about, 'How do we become more inclusive and understand each other better,' we know where we're coming from," he said. "There is systemic racism in Vermont."

The bill was started last year but didn't get much attention.

It was written in part by former Rep. Kiah Morris, who resigned from her seat last year fearing for her family's safety after a series of racist threats made against her.

Now, the new chair of the House's Education Committee, Kate Webb (D–Shelburne), said its time has come.

"If we're gonna make cultural change, which is what this bill is asking us to do, for us to make those cultural changes, it really is best to start in our schools," Webb said.

The bill, if passed as written now, would create a group that would collect data on any Vermont students being harassed, bullied or hazed because of something like their race, gender or sexual orientation.

"I think it is very important for Vermont to be doing the work of making our schools more equitable. It will also be important to get the details of any new legislation right so that school systems can follow through and achieve that goal," Montpelier High School Principal Mike McRaith wrote in a statement to NBC5.

The bill notes that the state's Board of Education could use data gathered by the working group to better understand students' experiences, and this could influence future school coursework to include learning about marginalized groups.

At least, that's what Coach is hoping for.

"We all have biases ... They could be gender-based, they could be racial-based, you know, there's all these different biases. But we want Vermont to be an inclusive state," Christie said.